Cash Pro Yen Dang Wins 2012 WSOP Ladies Championship

Vietnam born Yen Dang has won WSOP Event #51: $1k NLHE Ladies Championship, after overcoming a field of 936 players over three days on her way to collecting a gold bracelet, and the $170,587 first place prize.
A quick glance at the 29 year old’s poker resume will reveal that her win in the WSOP event was her first career tournament cash. However, Yen Dang is no rookie and as the Denver, Colorado resident explains:
“I’ve been playing poker for five or six years and I’m mostly a cash player and I play with a lot of men. In my opinion, I think any female, if they put their mind to it, can play just as well as a man can play in this game. I love poker, so I would definitely advocate any woman who’s interested in playing poker.”
On her way to victory in Las Vegas, Yen Dang had to best a field containing some of poker’s top female players. Notable names cashing in at the event included J.J. Liu in 45th ($3,639), Sofia Lövgren in 42nd ($3,639), Erica Schoenberg in 28th ($4,305), Leo Margets in 22nd ($ 5,155) and Lisa Parsons in 7th ($22,880).
Eventually, Yen Dang took a 2 to 1 chip advantage over Debbie Pechac into heads-up play, with the defining hand played after being dealt Qs-7s to her opponent’s Jh-10c. Subsequently, Pechac moved all-in on a K-Q-8 flop, but failed to hit her open-ended straight draw thus finishing the runner-up for $105,586, while Yen Dang carved out a piece of WSOP history.
Commenting on her remarkable victory in Las Vegas, Yen Dang said: “I had a mission to play this tournament and just win and it’s just incredible that you set your mind at something and you accomplished it. I didn’t expect it, but I worked really hard to try and get here, so it’s just amazing that I’m here.”
The final table payouts were as follows:
1 Yen Dang     $170,587
2 Debbie Pechac $105,586
3 Janet Howard     $66,061
4 Angela Prada-Moed $47,949
5 Candida Ross-Powers $35,398
6 Rae Rocco     $26,536
7 Lesley Amos     $20,184
8 Freda Lawrence $15,559
9 Anna Lundholm $12,156